The Hunt

All the time Business Owners, Managers and HR colleagues ask me where I advertise jobs. To some degree, it’s an easy answer — where they need to be …to …be …seen.

In my opinion the amount of applicants you get is directly related to the depth and breadth of your employer brand. Google? Apple? Facebook? They all get boat loads of job applications. Why? They’re global brands and everyday topics of discussion in our homes. People know them, want to work for them and continually hit refresh on their jobs page. Refresh refresh refresh!

So what do you do if you don’t have a big badass brand?

You have two options. You either grow your brand or you advertise your job postings. And actually maybe #3 is working with a Recruitment Agency – but I think the strong majority are absolutely terrible… so moving on. I could talk for days about employer branding — but I won’t.

Instead let’s talk job postings!

First things first, you’ve absolutely must post the job opening on your company website. Seems simple enough but you won’t believe the amount of people who advertise it everywhere and never post it on their site. Fun fact: Job candidates go to your website to 1) see if you’re company is any fun, and 2) verify that you’re legit. If you’ve posted the ad on Craigslist and haven’t posted it on your company website — it looks like a scam. And you might have lost a candidate — or a hundred!!

Next up, post it on anything free! Some of the best admin’s I’ve hired in my life have come from Craigslist. Post every job on the free and easy sites… Craigslist, Kijiji and Service Canada {there are a bunch of other ones but they have super low traffic…}. You might get fab job applications, you might not. Regardless free is free, it’ll only take you a few minutes to upload a posting and it very well could increase your exposure in the market.

With ‘free’ advertising comes the wonderful world of social media. If you’re hip, happenin’ and/or operate a business in 2012, you likely have a Facebook or Twitter account. :) Well get the word out there. The world is a small town and who knows who could be the right fit for your role! The more people that know about it the better. Post the opportunity n your social media networks – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, whatever!

A few ideas:

• Take a picture of your next new hire’s empty desk and post it on Facebook with a “This could be yours! 5 ft by 2 ft white desk with ergonomic chair, opportunity for growth and the best team you could ask for in 1 click. We’re on the hunt for a Business Analyst at our Vancouver office. Will you be our next hire?”
• Grab an iPhone and film the supervisor explaining ‘a day in the life…’ of this new role! No need for it to be complicated – just keep it professional. Post it to YouTube and ta da, you’ll reach a new market!
• Instead of spamming your LinkedIn contacts with the posting, reach out to specific contacts who are connected in the same realm as the opening. Remember your friend Joe, who used to work at Accenture, who probably has Business Analyst friends? Yeah, send him the posting. And tell him what he’s getting out of it too.

The point: think outside the box!

Example of a great tweet:

We’re on the search for the best + brightest Biz Analyst in this beautiful city! Spread the word! #Jobs #YVR #Tech

Example of a bad tweet:

Our Biz Analyst just quit because he hated his boss. Desperate. Apply today. #Jobs #HelpUs #FreakingOut

or…

JOB OPP IN VANCOUVER: BIZ ANALYST. START DATE ASAP.

{Examples like these happen all the time. Horrific.}

Make sure your presence on social networks oozes with heart.

The online community wants to build a relationship with you, all you gotta do is embrace it with open arms.

If you have a company blog — use it. Write about what you’re looking for — not in a job description kind of way, but in a trait / skillset / personality kind of way, get people learning about your company. At the same time, send the posting out to your entire company and let them know you’re hiring. You know how many people forget to do that! It’s as easy as:

Just wanted to let everyone know that we’re currently on the search for a Business Analyst. We expect the new hire will begin November 1st and she/he will support Joe’s team. We’re offering relocation across Canada. If you know of anyone who might be interested in learning more about the role, feel free to forward this email and/or let me know. The job posting is up on our career board at: http://ihearthr.com/careers

If an employee refers the successful candidate, you’ll get a reward. An iPad and Lunch with me! Oooo yahhhh.

Bob, CEO

Now you need to think about where your potential candidates are hanging out. If you’re looking for an Engineer, Accountant, HR or other professional career, post on the industry website (ie. APEGGA, CMA, CGA, BC HRMA etc). It’s worth the $200 as you have a direct point of contact with the exact group you want to hire. I have found that generally people opt-in to professional association communications, even if they’re not technically looking for a job. The more eyeballs on your job posting, the more candidates you’ll have — well assuming you’re not a terrible, unethical company. ;)

If you’re looking for students or interns, post on the college/university careers portal that has related programs. For science or technical positions, post on UBC or BCIT. For business or arts, post on SFU or Langara. Check out progressive programs like Talent Egg, that cater to graduate student openings too!

Next up… LinkedIn. This network can truly be good at finding business-related {and often web-related} candidates. Postings cost $200-300 but they’ll show up on your company page, look super legit and you can share them on the job pages of other groups. Postings always go up for a month, but make sure to check your traffic on week 1 to see how it’s doing. If you join relevant groups to the role, you will be able to post your opportunity onto specific job boards within the groups as well. Spread the ad within your network. One thing I know about people is that they’re usually willing to help out. All you’ve gotta do is ask!

So, what other options do you have?

In my opinion, Monster and Workopolis searches have gone way down hill in the past few years. I haven’t posted on either in absolute ages. The cost is high and you don’t get high quality candidates. A good site to be on is Indeed. Fun fact: “Indeed is the #1 job site worldwide, with over 70 million unique visitors and 1.5 billion job searches per month.” Like whoa. Indeed is also hugely global — 50 countries, 26 languages. Indeed has a whole bunch of rules to post a job on their site (ie. each job needs to have its own URL, no PDF’s, no teleworking jobs, etc etc). If you already use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), many of them syndicate your job ads to job boards across the web. So tell me, if you can get your job ad on Indeed, why on earth would you pay $500+ to post on Monster or Workopolis? I think there is only one negative to Indeed — and similar to the state of the internet today, it’s full of noise. There is a lot of crap  that candidates have to sift through. My tip to you would be to ensure your job title and keywords are legit.

A note on Career Builder… totally not a big deal in Canada, totally A BIG DEAL in the United States. Fun fact: you can’t advertise on the American job board with a Canadian credit card. Lordy loo. Many US Recruiters have told me that candidates in certain professions only search on Career Builder. A good way to tell if your job posting is going to be successful on a job board is to search to see if other people are posting the type of role on the site {make sure to do this on ANY site that you’re going to drop cold hard cash on advertising}. Easy enough, eh?

Eluta.ca has always been my secret little gem. Why? You can search jobs specifically from companies who have been named ‘Canada’s Top 100 Employers.’ Whether they deserved that title or not is a whole different blog post… :)  They also have company portals where you can learn about employers, what they offer, etc. Fun fact: Eluta indexes straight from employers career pages and you have to be added to their database to show up in search. There isn’t a lot of garbage on the site, no agency jobs and it’s the most accurate {and current} site in the Canadian job market. To add your company to their database, click here.

Still not getting the right applicant? Or any applicants?

Houston we have a problem.

Look internal. Does the one job you posted actually describe 6 jobs? Are you trying to find the perfect person with every skillset? If you didn’t know already, that person doesn’t actually exist. :)

When writing a job posting, ALWAYS brainstorm to determine your deal breakers. What does the candidate HAVE TO HAVE? What are your NICE TO HAVES? Evaluating candidates is much easier when you figure those two things out.

Before posing the job, figure out the 5 tasks the candidate has to be able to complete. Then when you interview determine if the candidate’s background / education / experience  will set them up for success in completing those tasks. It’s fine to have a gap, the gap just shouldn’t be large enough that you’re setting them up to fail.

A final piece of advice…

Don’t hold off on making a decision solely so you can compare an applicant against another.

When you find ‘the one’ — hire them.

That was 1690 more words than I was planning on writing tonight. HR Lady peacing out. 

Podcasting with Jeph Maystruck

Live on Jeph Maystruck‘s blog… everything you ever wanted to know about talking too much, change in organizations, making your mark, why HR sucks, short pants, Real Housewives of Vancouver + more. Shout outs to COAST by Glowbal, KPMG, JCI Vancouver, Kendal Harazny, Graeme Duckett, Sam Thiara and more.

Brace yourself.

46 mins via Podcast with Jeph.

LISTEN HERE

And Jeph wrote a lovely little post to go with the Podcast:

Did you listen?

GOOD.

Now my voice is burned in your brain…!

You should probably listen again. :D

My first podcast experience was great! I was worried about what Jeph might ask, how I might sound, etc. Jeph calmed my fears and said he would edit anything out that sounded like crap. Unfortunately for me, he didn’t edit out all the swears. ;)

Anyways to learn more about Jeph, check out his blog, stalk him on LinkedIn or give him a follow on Twitter!

PS – Everyone forgets about LinkedIn recommendations. Recruiters look at (or for) them and quality ones are totally win! Wrote Jeph a recommendation… hopefully he doesn’t think it’s terrible.

“Jeph is the leading man behind the Marketing Revolution podcast. He asked me to participate in an upcoming episode and I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Jeph is a breath of fresh air. He’s committed to changing the world of marketing and making the community think outside the box. He is  a relationship guy; working with clients to truly make a difference and have a positive impact on their bottom line. My experience with Jeph was professional, fun and easygoing. He was easy to relate to and go with the flow. I have no doubt that Jeph will be the #1 podcast in Regina.”

PPS – As much as I love Jeph, I also love a mover and shaker in Australia named Pete Williams. He has an awesome Podcast: PreneurCast — entrepreneurship meets marketing, business and productivity. A weekly dose of an Australian accent and brilliance most of the time too. ;)

Going Backwards to Go Forwards

Sometime during my trip to Costa Rica, life hit me square in the face like a ton of bricks. I woke up wide-eyed with anxiety and immense pressure to succeed.

The anxiety wasn’t driven from “figuring out my future” or long-term planning. Instead I began to think about what I do and why I do it.

A simple question:

Do I love what I do?

And if I don’t love what I do… then why am I doing it?

My answer is: I don’t know.

{…insert quarter life crisis. 28 this year by the way.}

When I tell people that I don’t think I’ll be working in HR long-term, they look at me in shock. They always say: “But you’re good at it.”

Well let me tell you… that’s not enough. And it’s never a reason to stay in your profession. Strengths should be aligned with passion. As much as I hate the word “passion” …it’ll be easiest to use to explain my point.

When people ask me why I like HR, my answer is:

“I like to help people. I like to give people tools to ensure they are successful in their roles.”

Um, I’m pretty sure my answer should be: “I really like policy and procedure manuals” or “benefits plans blow my mind” or “I dreamt of a compensation structure last night.” Truth. I’m not your typical HR professional and that’s always been why I’ve done well in the industry. I’ve gained momentum from being different and providing fresh ‘GenY’ perspective. I often consider “fresh” to just be mouthy and opinionated. :)

I love lots of what I do, but when I think about my profession… I’ve come to realize, it’s just not me. The profession has been built upon structure, policies and providing information in a uniform way. Yes, I am blessed to work with people who understand progressive HR… who understand that the function can have a place on the management team… and who truly respect my opinion. But the truth is… the ‘profession’ and the HR industry aren’t going to change for a very long time.

The profession isn’t progressive — and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life trying to conform to it.

I’m pretty sure my ‘passion’ is education.

I love to teach.

I love to lead.

I love to think outside the box, brainstorm creative solutions and solve problems.

I love to empower people to make positive change.

I love to help people grow.

So what does this mean?

In the short-term, I’m not sure. I am completely committed to my clients, my teams and the projects on my plate for the next few years. I’m honored to learn from great companies with strong leaders. I have been given the opportunity to lead JCI Vancouver as 2012 Chapter President which will no doubt develop my leadership skills. I have some exciting opportunities in the works — including attending the UN Global Partnership Summit in New York and teaching entrepreneurship/social enterprise to youth for 4 weeks in India.

Often I lecture to business students at Canadian universities. We talk about how Generation Y (and some of Generation X) will have a number of “careers” in their lifetime and they often don’t end up in the field they specialized in. I know the topics inside and out — yet it takes me ages to apply it to my own life. :)

I was groomed to be HR for the rest of my life. I completed a Diploma in HR, then a Degree in HR. I completed my HR designation.  In 2010, I was given an award by the province for being a rising star in the industry. The last 8 years of my life have been dedicated to the profession.

By no means was it time wasted… it all built me into who I am today.

In 2012, I need to think through how I can tie my strengths, commitment to education and interest in changing the world — into some sort of a career.

I’m 100% committed to the land of entrepreneurship, just need to rethink the day-to-day.

My advice to you (and me):

When you’re sorting out what life throws at you…
Don’t worry what others will think.
Think about you need and go out there and get it.

Deep breath.

Labelling Generations

Every so often I write a post on the Elevated HR blog that I think relates to my personal blog followers. This is one of them.

Random Gen Y Thoughts II

By Jillian Walker, Vice President, Client Experience of Elevated HR Solutions

Labeling employees in the workplace… we all do it, yet we all hate it. Take the title of this post for example. Branding myself as a Gen Y makes it easier to differentiate Michelle and my thoughts.

Late last week I was asked to write an article on “Gen Y” for an online HR publication. I was immediately unsure how I would write it and asked for clarification on the topic. Nope, no help, just write something on Gen Y.

I often refer to myself as Gen Y, because I am so close to fitting the description. But others who are exactly the same generation as me, and even the same birth year, do not fit it. It’s to the detriment of leaders in the workforce to ‘brand’ their staff as any generation.

People are different — and that is what we should love about them.

Check out the article here.

Register for TheHRNetwork.com here.

Do you refer to yourself as Gen Y, Gen X, Boomer etc?

I’d love to know your thoughts!

recruiting done differently

I wrote this for Elevated HR’s blog but thought some of my job searching and HR readers might enjoy this too!

By Jillian Walker, Vice President Client Experience, Elevated HR Solutions

In my past life, recruiting meant activating a job posting on recruitment software, filtering through applicants based on points, looking at 10 resumes out of 200-500, formal phone screening, structured competency based interviews, ranking employees against each other with points and putting out a formal offer about 8 weeks later. It was fairly mindless and no stress. We often hired multiple applicants for the same job and if someone didn’t last – oh well!

Nowadays I’m leading a recruitment process that is highly personable and culture-driven.

The goal is always to find a rockstar candidate for one of our exceptional clients. It’s about finding the right fit for the candidate AND the right fit for the company — not one or the other.

The process begins with writing a job description that is actually interesting and reflective of the company’s culture. In my words, we write them straight up. Here is what you need, here is what we would love and here is the nitty gritty. They are written in a way that intrigues a candidate — but would also scare off the wrong candidate.

As the candidates come in, we review each and every application. We respond back to candidates with questions about their education and experience. We pull out applications that may not be a right fit for this company, but could be a right fit for another one. After a quick phone screen, we ask each short-listed candidate to complete a culture-fit questionnaire. It further determines if the candidate and the company are a match.

Throughout this experience, we continually learn about the candidate and the company. The focus is on building relationships, while achieving results. Sometimes the candidate opts out of the process, sometimes the company changes the title or job duties. We adapt as we go along.

Once the candidate has passed all the paper work and brief phone calls — we meet them either in person or via Skype video [we are recruiting for multiple cities these days!]. Candidates have an opportunity to showcase their personality and explain their passions.

Eventually we make it to the point where the candidate gets to meet the client in person. By this time, they know the company inside and out and we have worked with them to shine on their resume and questionnaire. We provide them tips on how to be successful and do our best to ensure minimal surprises!

We usually hear back from the candidate immediately after the interview. They provide feedback on the company and the process — and it’s in their court to send thank you’s to those involved! The company gets in touch with us to discuss the final candidates and determine if an offer will be made. Often last minute questions come up and we go back to the candidates if needed. If the company decides to do a second round of interviews with a different level of management, we book them. It’s important to keep momentum in the process [A-player candidates are often interviewing at multiple companies!].

Lastly we check references, complete skills testing if required (computer skills etc) and ask the candidate to complete Strengths Finder 2.0. We utilize Strengths Finder with of our clients. Why? Because we totally believe in it and think that it is an effective way to assess employees. Strengths Finder showcases an employees strengths and further determines if they are the right fit for the role and the company. It is a reflective exercise for the candidate and a refreshing perspective for the company.

This type of recruiting isn’t necessarily a long process – it’s just thorough. Our process creates so many touch points with the candidate that you truly start to understand who they are — strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, etc. We invest a lot of time in the process to ensure we have truly found the right fit.

Does it backfire? Sometimes. People change, plans change… but we wouldn’t be doing it if it didn’t work the strong majority of the time.

All the time we place candidates at our clients and they say things like “I’ve never been happier. This is the perfect job for me.” Would I have heard that in my last life? Absolutely not. Perhaps once in a blue moon if a candidate got lucky.

The candidates that I’ve had the opportunity to meet have truly been a breath of fresh air. I’m impressed by their honesty, drive and commitment. When I give a candidate a call, they are expecting me to be a no personality Recruiter wanting them to enter into a structured archaic process. Instead, I explain how we do things differently at Elevated HR and look for them to be adaptable. Sometimes they’re caught off guard, but often they laugh and immediately turn casual. When people interact with each other casually, you generally see true colors. Matching for fit just got easier. :)

All the time people ask me “What is your favourite HR function?”  I used to say Organizational Development and Effectiveness. Now though? Recruitment is growing on me. Matchmaking A-players with fabulous companies makes my heart smile.

gen y meets gen x

A blog post… finally! Well I actually wrote on the Elevated HR’s blog, but I felt it was relevant to this audience too.

I’ll blog about boys and life soon. ;) Promise. xo

Random Gen Y Thoughts I

By Jillian Walker, Vice President, Client Experience of Elevated HR Solutions

A few days ago Michelle blogged on generational differences within our team. We generally talk about blog topics, which range from trends in industry to client concerns to tales of an HR start-up. She did not tell me she was going to write on generations!!

Immediately I thought…” man…. this is going to be her go-live of how Gen Y (myself included) are a pain in the ass.” Instead, it was a refreshing reflective post on who she is as a person and how that impacts a work environment.

I am often quoted saying “I am the Wikipedia definition of Generation Y.” I’m not interested in work/life balance, instead I want work/life flexibility. I have no desire to work in a corporate downtown office, nor work a typical 8am-5pm schedule. I can’t imagine being in one role long-term, unless it continually evolved. The thought of being with a company forever makes me want to puke. Do I imagine myself having multiple careers in my lifetime? Absolutely. I want to empower youth on an international level, start a non-profit and teach in universities.

Can I understand why colleagues and peers might be frustrated with me? Hell yes.

Today I read an interesting post by Gary Schlee titled “10 Characteristics of Generation Me.” His post was based on the book, Generation Me by Jean Twenge. The characteristics are defined as the following:

• Generation Direct
• Generation Self-Esteem
• Generation Entitlement
• Generation Thin Skin
• Generation Dream-The-Impossible-Dream
• Generation Get-An-Education
• Generation Don’t-Want-To-Be-Bored
• Generation It’s-Not-My-Fault
• Generation Tough-To-Make-A-Living
• Generation Can’t-Change-A-Thing

Twenge’s book has been given a lot of kudos in industry because it is based on research and psychology. Do I feel that I fit every aspect of the above characteristics? Not at all. I’m open – ridiculously open. Transparency is key. I’m self-confident, but I feel that I was groomed to be that way throughout my teen years. As for criticism? I often have the “I’m always right” attitude – and hopefully, mentors like Michelle, will continually show me that I have room for growth and can’t always be right. ;) I place a lot of importance on education and continual learning. I know that I will get my Master’s degree and learn a second language. I am busy. I thrive on busy, but not burnout.

I put my heart in people and believe that they can be anything they want to be.

Dream big is a philosophy not a nice-to-have.

In Michelle’s post, she stated personal goals, which for the most part relate to work behaviours. If anyone were to ask my goals. The first thing I would say is:  doing what I love, giving back to the community, travel and making a difference in this big bad world. It wouldn’t even cross my mind to think in the present or as narrow as what are my plans in the next 30 days.

I thrive in a structured, supportive environment. As much as I am an ‘ideas’ and creative person, I need focus in my day to day work. I like to be involved in decision making and thrive in an environment where learning is based on application. I am a visual learner and somewhat unlike my generation – I prefer paper over electronic.

In the workplace, I have always felt that it’s been me against the world. I am used to explaining to managers and colleagues that change is needed and that we must think differently. Time and time again, I’ve been told to put down my raised hand and to not ask a question. I have been told my opinion does not matter,  “we’re not prepared to change” and forced to accept defeat.

Now that I have moved from corporate to a start-up — it’s different. I feel that regardless of my opinion being right, it is always respected. I feel like my ideas matter and being creative is a necessary part of our success. I appreciate the fact that I can work from home or that Michelle and I can have a bonding day together at her place. Our culture revolves around making a difference, having fun and saving the world from all the awful HR people out there. [HR renegades at your rescue!] ;) I love that our corporate goals are outlined – we can see the future and the change we will make in our industry. Lastly, I love that our clients choose to work with Elevated. They truly want to make change in their workplaces.

It’s absolutely refreshing.

For whatever reason I have *always* associated myself with the label of Generation Y. In the last few months this label has continually challenged me. I have met people who fall into the years of Gen Y, but who are not even close to fitting the standard definition. What have I realized? Labeling creates expectations. Expectations can lead to disappointment or confusion. Both labeling and expectations do not set people up for success.

I am not Generation Y.

I am me.

I am a crazy, Type A, achievement-oriented me.

Take me or leave me.

HRevolution

So here’s the deal… most HR conferences in Canada are lame.  Nothing seems to change… same topics, same booths, and often the same people from year to year.  As well, they cost a fortune.

Last year I started seeing tweets from HR folks I was following in the States on #HRevolution. I did my research, tracked down their website, and learned a lot about this mystery un-conference. To quote the organizers:

“HRevolution is an event for human resources professionals, recruiters, and business leaders to come together and talk about the problems facing businesses today. This is where thought leadership and action meet. The format for HRevolution encourages interaction and every participant has the opportunity share ideas and opinions in an open manner.”

In 2011, the conference will be held on April 29 & 30 in Atlanta, Georgia. Last year it was held in Chicago – I know… CHICAGO. I found out a few weeks ago that the folks over at Nobscot would be having a scholarship competition for free airfare, and (for those that know me) of course I had to enter!

They provided three options for topics:

1. In what ways can new technology help HR evolve to have an even greater impact on business success?
2. How can using technology for exit interviews, new hire surveys or mentoring program administration make these HR processes/activities more successful than handling manually.
3. Get Creative – Describe HR in the year 2050! (Fictional story format acceptable.)

Based on my recent participation in McMaster University and Strategic Capability Network’s “FOCUS2040,” I decided to go with option #3. Blog post on my involvement in the past competition is here, and video of my presentation here (part 1, part 2, part 3).

Wish me luck!

———————————————————————————————————-

From January to March 2010, I competed in “FOCUS2040,” a competition designed for business students across Canada to envision how work will look in the year 2040.  The 3 phases of the competition were: the workforce of 2040, the work environment of 2040, and the work systems of 2040.  After strong critique from business professionals across Canada, I made it through all three rounds and was invited to present my vision to a panel of business experts.

In the workforce of 2040, I discussed a more diverse workforce, family-centric focus, socially responsibly behaviours, and flexible work schedules. In the work environment of 2040, I took it further generating discussion on power distance, immigration rates, a bilingual society, unemployment rates, new currency policies, and nanotechnology. I concluded with the work systems of 2040, which focused on the concepts of social capital theory, social capital indexes, transformational leadership and a movement to an ethics of care model.

The outcome? I didn’t place top 3 [some brainiac graduate students did ;)], but I had the opportunity to meet fabulous people and share my vision.  What was my intention going into the competition? To show that a young HR professional is committed to the future of work and to get the workforce talking.

But wait… how did I get the workforce talking? I texted. I tweeted. I blogged. I created a Facebook Fan Page. I held focus groups. I committed myself to the topic. Reflecting back on the competition, I began to wonder. Will all those initiatives I discussed actually happen in the year 2040 – let alone 2050?

How can we have a bilingual workforce if today’s incoming Generation Y only knows one language? That gives them 30 years to get up to speed. It’s not going to happen.  How will we train leaders today on social capital theory? No one cares. Not everyone is a HR keener like myself.

One year later, I can offer you a refreshed perspective on the future of work…

When I think of the year 2050, I get excited.  No it’s not terrifying nor a strange world. To me, the difference between now and 2050 is that we will be far more productive.

I am 26 years old and sometimes I completely question my mental capacity. My mind works in 6000 directions all day long. I sit in meetings (completely engaged in the topic too!) thinking about the file that’s on my desk, a lunch date with a boy a few days later, or if an internet friend has tweeted me back. When totally bored out of my mind, I think about nail polish colors, analyze my latest horoscope (I’m a Gemini by the way), and dream of all the places I intend to see in this big bad world.

It’s not that I’m bored (well… sometimes), it’s that I can learn faster than many of my more ‘established’ peers.  Communicate the change in process or improvement quickly, provide a real life example, and finito – I get it! I thrive in quick paced environments. I’m more productive and I love it.  My mentors have taught me that their is a fine balance between a quick pace and losing quality of work. I get that… but why not push the limits?

10 year olds today have a regular school curriculum (perhaps they’re learning a few languages too), after school activities multiple times per week (dance, hockey, gymnastics), regular TV programming to catch up on, iPods to update, friends to talk on the phone to, parents to argue with, and sleepovers to schedule. One of the favourite 10 year old girl, Paige, does intensive dance 6 times a week. That is practically a part time job.

Society is grooming the next workforce, Generation Z (early 1990s to early 2000s), to be busy. They have high expectations for advancement and success. One might say, are they willing to work for it? In my opinion, that’s still debatable.  What do we know though? They thrive in a tech savvy environment. They are also self-directed and extremely individualistic. As sad it sounds, they think about themselves.

When I imagine a workforce of Generation Z… I realize how grateful that they will be mentored to success by Generation Y.  I truly believe that I have been set up for success. I had a mom raise me to know the importance of community and giving back. I have had opportunities to continually develop my skills and becoming the accomplished young lady that I am today. Lastly, I am keen on seeing future generations succeed and developing HR as a practice (not a requirement) in the workplace.  I feel that Generation Y’s skills as leaders in 2050, coupled with the brains, excitement and energy of Generation Z will create one of the most productive workforces of all time.

So I bet you’re thinking… did she really push the limits in discussing the future of work? Where are the aliens? What about technological implants in employee wrists and iris scans?

I’ve learned a lot in the last year. Most importantly I’ve learned that the majority of organizations are slow to change.

Let’s do an exercise…

• Raise your hand if you hate your file management procedures.
• Raise your hand if your supervisor keeps on telling you your bikini does not fit the corporate dress code.
• Raise your hand if you too sit in long, drawn out meetings, which become ineffective after the first hour.
• Raise your hand if you too want a $10,000 raise.
• Raise your hand if you started teleworking from home and just couldn’t make it work with operations.
• Raise your hand if you would love your organization to utilize iPhone’s instead of Blackberry’s.

Change is hard. I believe that people and technology will change immensely over the next 40 years. I don’t believe there will be as drastic of a change in the workplace.  Workplaces worldwide will adapt to employee preferences and technological requirements. Corporate surveys will reflect changes in workforce demographics. Project teams will be created when new software should be implemented.

Work in 2050. What’s your opinion?

This is Jillian Walker’s entry into the 2011 Nobscot HR Evolution Scholarship Competition. Nobscot Corporation is an HR technology company specializing in key areas of employee retention including exit interviews, onboarding surveys, and corporate mentoring programs.

Learn more: http://upstarthr.com/nobscot-hrevolution-scholarship-free-air-fare/#ixzz1E5i55lx2

dream job

I’ve been thinking a lot about the future lately.  From a career standpoint, what should I be doing with my life? What direction am I headed in?  Where do I want to be 5, 10, or 20 years from now?

The honest answer… I’m not 100% sure.  In the long-term, I have absolutely no attachment to Calgary.  Once I get through the next little while, I am completely flexible to travel or relocate. I know that I want to make a difference.  I want to impact others and contribute to the community in a positive light.

Today I asked the following question on Twitter:

The result?

• @cr8zeelady – Travel the world and photograph with National Geographic
• @haileypinto - Upscale Wedding Planner in NYC
• @haleylonsdale – GM of resort on Hayman Island in Australia
• @ispeakcanadian – Cirque du Soleil or Habitat for Humanity
• @kimmcneilyoga – Cirque du Soleil
• @kyledizzy – CEO at Berkshire Hathaway
• @nicolesaxton – TV Host for a show about traveling around the world
• @socialgrrrl – GM Caribbean Eco Hotel or Marketing Head J Crew Canada
• @taxnerdatplay – Climbing or Ski Patrol including lots of travel
• @yogicrystal – Teaching yoga on a warm beach

[And of course people didn't answer the what, where, and why, but it's Twitter... land 0f 140 characters, so c'est la vie!]

Diverse answers but very much focused on travel, fun, and in some cases mega money.

Anyone can look at the Top Employers in Canada or the world or whatever… and say “that’s the company for me. They’ve won an award and proven themselves.”  Just because an organization has some sort of national recognized standing doesn’t mean they are the be all and end all.  Maybe one of them is the perfect employer for you, but maybe not?  Do perks (ie. benefits/vacation/office space/technology) matter to you?  If they don’t, I’d say the right employer for you is not on the that list.

Think outside the box.  Be creative.  Forget about money or resources.  Where do you see yourself?

Through this process, I decided I would love to work in External Relations at the United Nations. [Specific eh? :)]  Slightly terrifying to write that down as it seems like a huge leap from where I am right now.  A typical applicant for this type of role?  Public Relations/Communications background, Masters Degree, Bilingual, extrovert, etc.  I’ve got the extrovert in me already, but the rest… quite the gap in skill-set.

What employee characteristics does the UN look for?

Does making a difference motivate you? Are you selfless and driven to be a part of a bigger purpose in the service of humanity? And, are hope and strength of character attributes which will guide your zeal to make a difference in a complex world?Are you the type of person who will travel and work anywhere at a moment’s notice?

Do you thrive in an environment that is truly international and multi-cultural, which respects as well as promotes diversity and functions at its best through the efforts of teams of different people?

These are some of the characteristics that you will find in our staff.

We want people with integrity. People who are fair, impartial, honest and truthful. We want dynamic and adaptable persons who are not afraid to think creatively, to be proactive, flexible and responsive.

If you think you embody these values then this is the place for you and your career.

From the bottom of my heart [and at the present moment], yes to absolutely everything.

I entered into the field of Human Resources because I was good at it, in fact I excelled in every HR class I’ve ever taken.  I’m a people person with a knack for business.  I have good judgment, problem solving skills, leadership ability, and truly enjoy helping both employees and management.  Working in HR has taught me to appreciate policy and guidelines, advocate for employees, and to understand why HR is essential in today’s organizations.

HR has allowed me to develop my communications skills.  Whether it be, verbal/non-verbal, formal/informal, I am comfortable over all channels.  I’ve been given kudos for my ability to be casual, yet professional, with all levels of employees and management. At times, I need to work on my ability to be concise [obviously ;)], but the ability to communicate effectively has proven to be one of my strengths.

Working in HR has clearly shown me that I have a natural ability (and truly want) to help others.  The looming question… does a life-long profession in HR fully utilize my skill-set?  In the long-term, I believe that I need to merge my HR/corporate knowledge and ability to communicate, with a community-driven, client-facing international role.

How will I bridge myself from my current intermediate HR role to External Relations at the United Nations? First of all, I need to keep on doing what I’m doing.  Continually proving myself, developing my skill-set, maintaining my reputation in the industry.  There is no reason for me to abandon the HR profession at the the present time, it’s not harming my future.  I’m still learning, still developing a skill-set that would benefit a role in Corporate Relations.  Secondly, if I truly want to work for the UN or in the international limelight, I need to consider a second language.  Grade 10 French will likely not make the cut. :) Lastly, life-long learning is important. I would love to complete my Masters degree, but can confidently say I am not ready yet.  I need to get involved with the United Nations on a local or national level – whether that be volunteering with the UNAC or liaising via the JCI Canada’s National Board.  I need to network and learn from others.  I need to do research to understand the life of an expat.

Maybe this all won’t work out.  Maybe my career direction will change.  Maybe I’ll end up staying in Calgary.  What’s important is that you have goals.  Dream big and believe in yourself.  Break down barriers and create opportunity.  You can truly achieve anything you put your mind to.

“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands — your own.” – Mark Victor Hansen

Think about where you want to be. Now, how are you going to get there?

the generation of the future

recently, i was presented with the opportunity to participate in a university business competition called “Focus 2040″. competition is interesting… for phase 1, each candidate had to create a 750 word submission on what the workforce of 2040 will look like. no real requirements other than to utilize creativity. i think everyone had a month or so to complete the assignment, but i (of course) left mine to the last second… and i mean, last second!  i had been debating if i should participate, as my life is totally maxed right now and is this really a priority?  well the prize is an internship in paris with a HR firm… hmmm… i couldn’t turn it down. attached is 2 (out of 3 pages) of my submission. page 3 is just the work schedule of lecia and referencing. mac computers sure make a candidate look good!! :D so the judges will be reviewing the submissions this week and they will select top 25.  top 25 compete in phase 2 – which is writing on what the work environment will look like.  deadline is february 23rd, and then top 10 move to describing work systems, in person, in toronto, in march. wooohoo. cool competition, should be interesting to see what happens. even if i make top 25, i’ll be more than happy. 

a fabulous week

this past week has been most memorable… i had been dreading this week for quite some time… as i was responsible for a major roll-out of some new programs at work, an office move, and it was the first week back to uni. well surprise surprise, everything went absolutely fine! better than fine in fact. :)


the transition back to uni was a difficult one.  i’ve only been out of classes for a few weeks, but still i dread going back every week i get. i started the week off with an academic advising appt.  since i am getting close to my graduation date, it is important for me to confirm i’m on the right track. anyways, the appt went hella bad, and i do feel like the uni did not set me up for success when it comes to my courses. anyways, i had a slight meltdown as everything wasn’t going exactly how i wanted it too… but then a gf of mine gave me a bit of a wakeup call. at this moment, what’s important?… the piece of paper. not the grades, not the program, not anything else.  so i’ve switched my major/minors, and i will graduate in 2010, hopefully as painlessly as possible.  my courses this week have gone surprisingly well.  in my leadership class, i was told that i am an ‘inspirational leader’ and a ‘woman of the future’.  wowie..! i blushed, not expecting that at all!  my prof also told me that i’m the most active user on www.linkedin.com he knows lol. cracked me up, as other than keeping my profile up to date, people on LinkedIn just flock to me!  i have been making a good effort to get recommendations over the past few weeks, solely because i have a lot of great people in my life right now!  this leadership class is going to teach me a lot… i’m positive of that!  i will be journalling weekly and applying leadership theory to my life, so that should be interesting and perhaps will inspire a few blog posts!  i’m also in women studies… did you know that a feminist is someone who believes in equal rights for men and women, and that we should all be feminists?… i did not know that!  i’m excited for this class, brittany is a great teacher – and we are going to read a book called ‘sisterhood interrupted’… i love love love to read, and i’m excited to have mandatory non-textbook reading!  anyways, the other two.. cross-cultural management and cognitive psychology are a bore, but c’est la vie!


on wednesday, i presented on jci world congress 2009 to my chapter. i had been promoting the event as much as possible through word-of-mouth, facebook, twitter, and various events listings in calgary. well, we had a full house! couldn’t even squeeze another person in! a huge thanks to pamela, brad, melissa, haley, lisa, jason and larissa. i appreciated the support, i can’t even put it into words how much it meant to me for you all to be there. other than the presentation was extremely rushed, it went fabulous! everyone was beyond impressed, and said i inspired and engaged them… much more than i could have asked for! we headed to a pub post-presentation, and as a direct result of ME,  we have had 7 new members join our chapter :) happy happy, joy joy! i’m going to be making a few changes/additions, and then the dvd will be sent to many chapters all over the world – i only hope the result is just as positive!


to end the week, two great opportunities landed in my lap.  an organization called www.hrcouncil.ca is looking for young emerging leaders under 30 to partake in a video series about their career pathing strategies, why they work in the non-profit & public sector, and what tips they have for others. i was asked to put my name in for it… completed the application, my director signed up and woohoo in the running.  if i am one of the chosen ones, i will be flying to ottawa for a few days in february to partake in some focus groups, the video series, and some annual winter events. the other opportunity is www.focus2040.com… the strategic capability network is looking for full-time business students to pretty much create a report (preliminary round is 750 words) on what the workforce will look like in year 2040. the best 25 will then move to the second round, which will describe the work environment in 2040 (1500 words), and then top 10 will move to third round which will discuss work systems in 2040 (20 minute presentation in ontario).  i’m currently working on the project, it’s due in another week, and it’s a toughie… really it is. creativity is going to be critical.  it would be great to even make it to top 25, but we’ll see!


i feel slightly overwhelmed with life right now as there is a ton going on… but sometimes things land in your lap for a reason.  all of this busy-ness is making me even more excited for hawaii on reading week and new york once the semester is competed. goals keep me going. achievements and travel keep me motivated. 


oh yes, on my friday off yesterday i made a dreamboard (courtesy of oprah). it’s now on my desktop and keeps me going in a positive direction towards my goals, and to 2010 being a grand success!